The Not Secret
by phoenixdaughterAM
Summary: The problem with having a secret relationship in the dorm...is that everyone find out quickly. Junpei must break it to Minako that her relationship with Ken is common knowledge.


It was obvious from the beginning to Junpei. When that kid was announced to stay at the dorm, one who was an orphan, he saw Minako's look. It was if she found another soul who would understand her loss. And if he was a Persona-user, why not?

She admitted to him over her talks of ramen that she had a crush on him, Junpei. Had. She knew that he thought of her as a little sister and she'd accepted it. This lead to an easier relationship where she confided in him most of her problems, mostly that she was way to picky about guys.

"Why me? I'm just a lonely soul looking for love," he jokingly said.

She laughed. "Seriously, maybe I felt that I could trust you. I guess I want a friend before a lover."

"Dangerous move there. Might get stuck in the friend-zone."

"At least someone cares. I just don't want to get hurt."

Knowing her, she wouldn't have just encouraged Ken. She may have felt motherly at first. But after October, something changed for her. He noticed that she wanted to spend more time with him. Comfort? Maybe at first but the omelet meal...where she told him she was single. Damn it. He was just walking through but he heard their discussion. Quite accidentally. The next time she went out with him, he watched everyone's reaction. And everyone silently watched them head out. Wordlessly, he got up and went to the window.

"Anyone interested in what they're saying?" Junpei called out.

"Isn't that snooping?" Yukari replied.

"Aw, come on. You know you want to." He then proceeded to give a play-by-play for everyone, making note of how Minako clenched her hands when the kid called her a hag. "Still our fearless leader. Not taking any lip from anyone." He noticed on how quickly she answered Ken's question on why she hung out with him, as if she thought about it and made up her mind. Yukari and Fuuka then joined him at the window, not wanting to miss out on the reaction. Her reassurance and Ken's confession stirred them up.

"Wow. I never thought that she would..." Fuuka started.

"But she always was nice to him even before...and she had been putting him with her on Tartarus more often." Yukari then turned and looked at Mitsuru. "Senpai?"

"Personal issues are personal issues, so long as they don't interfere with their combat abilities," she responded.

"Yeah but..."

The team quickly jumped as they saw Ken rushing up to him room, very red. Thankfully, he didn't notice the three people at the window. Junpei turned to the window and saw Minako just standing in the street, as if she realized what she was getting into. He motioned for Yukari and Fuuka to take their seats as Minako returned inside. Hopefully she didn't notice anything out of place.

* * *

And so, the not-so secret relationship between Minako and Ken began. If they went out, Junpei would be the designated window watcher seeing if anything happened. It's not like he had much to do in the evenings anyway. He'd make sure that he'd be out of the way of the window if they got to close. Good thing Minako always hung back, as if she still wasn't certain what she was doing.

Feelings were mixed on these developments. Akihiko, would still seemed to have some feelings for Minako and was basically the older brother for Ken, was the most vocal and skeptical.

"He's a kid. I mean, do you think that he really is in love?"

Yukari then would jump in and say, "You're the one he looks up to. Do you think so?"

That would quiet him down. For awhile. "This could end badly for both of them."

That's when Junpei would step in. "I know Minako and she wouldn't just lead on a kid. You remember what she did on October? She took Ken in his arms and just held him. And she seemed more disturbed that Ken was going to commit suicide than the fact that Shinjiro-senpi fell into a coma."

They would all argue some more with Koromaru barking all the while. Sometimes it seem that Minako would be onto them. She was quite observant about her team.

Naturally, when she "sneaked" Ken into her room, the conversation exploded when they were out of earshot.

"Are they really-?"

"Should we look at the tapes-?"

"Wouldn't that be just-?"

"We'll just check into Ken's room in the morning." Akihiko said. Morning came and there was no Ken in his room. And evidently, the tapes were offline in Minako's room that night. Preparation perhaps. Not that it helped anyone's mental health. But Minako seemed to be more and more nervous.

The next run in Tartarus was with Junpei, Mitsuru and Aigis. The three people that Minako would probably go to first for something like a romantic relationship with a kid. Junpei, because she trusted him, Mitsuru, because she knew that would be the person she'd have to deal with and Aigis, probably because she would find out first, at least in her mind. However, in between near-death experiences with Shadows, she remained her usual quiet self. Ever since October, she left more to silence, though would still carry a conversation.

Junpei decided to go risky. "So...how's dating?" Both Mitsuru and Aigis shot quick "What-are-you-doing?-glances."

"Well, I think I might be interested in someone. Why do you ask? You usually save this for the ramen." She responded, noticing the two others.

"Just curious."

"Oh, how's Chidori doing?" Surprisingly, or maybe not, she was supportive of Junpei and Chidori. Maybe it was a way to show him she was over the crush or maybe because he knew Chidori made him happy.

Mitsuru didn't leave any time. "She's still in the hospital. Fine as usual."

"Ah." A Shadow then approached the group. "Welp. Time for business."

The Dark Hour went by and as they were returning home Junpei asked Akihiko if he talked to Ken at all.

"Yeah but he really didn't want to talk about much. Nothing out of her?"

"The very vague, 'I'm interested in someone.' I think I'm going to have a chat with her over ramen. Can you try to do something similar with Ken?"

"I have boxing practice until the evening. Maybe you can convince her to 'come out.'"

"My responsibility huh?"

The two boys looked at Minako and Ken. They were close but not touching. Occasionally, one would take a glance at the other. It is an odd relationship, Junpei thought. But fighting demons can make odd things happen.

* * *

It was a normal day and the two were quite known for being regulars at Hagakure. "Our special today? For our favorite couple?" The cook was the only person that Junpei and Minako would allow to be called a couple by.

"Of course. But we may not be a couple for long." Junpei put his arm around Minako. "She says she's found someone!"

"What a cheater. I didn't know you had it in you miss."

Minako blushed red. Not her usual response but she came up with a jab easily. "I'm looking for someone more mature than this creep."

"Aww, come on. You're killing me here." Junpei laughed. However, he decided to go into serious mode. "So, do I know this guy?" he said in a low whisper.

Minako turned quiet. "Yes. Don't get any ideas though. You have Chidori, thank goodness for that."

"He's more mature than me? Oh come on. I'm the face of responsibility."

"Says the guy who scores low in all exams."

"You don't study til the last minute and weren't you sleeping in class today?"

"Fine. Our academics suck. Is there anything you want to know about this guy?"

Ah that question. DID YOU SLEEP WITH KEN? was ringing in his head but of course, he has to establish that he, and by proxy everyone else knows. But first, something to appease his brother instincts. "Are you certain you love this guy?" He saw her standing outside enough.

Minako bit her lip. "At first, I wasn't certain. I guess that's the problem with friends, feelings become muddled." He caught her whispering to herself, "Even if I tricked him into it..."

"Tricked? But isn't that the case of catching a guy? Stealing hearts and all that?" Junpei sensed her concern. She was worried that she manipulated Ken.

"I just-" A pause. The bowls of ramen came. "It's too weird."

"Remember, I'm here for you. No matter how weird a situation may get. I have your back."

She smiled. Smiling always makes a person look better. "Thanks." She ate a bit of her ramen and let him eat some too. "What if I fell in love with a kid? And I mean actual love."

Here it is. Now how to tactfully put the We Know part in. "Well, are you ready for a wait? Or evade the law if not?"

"Of course sex would be the first thing you think of." She sighed. "I don't have a thing for kids. I'm not a sicko." She said that as if to reassure herself.

"But you do for this one?"

"I bet you can guess who it is."

Here it comes. "I bet everyone in the dorm can."

Silence. "Damn it. We're that obvious?"

"It's not usual for a teenage girl to take a kid to dinner twice a week. Or take him to your room."

"Great. For the record, we watched a tape of Phoenix Featherman R."

"Shameless! Childish indulgences! What else?"

"NOTHING!" She gave him a dope slap. She usually did that once a visit, it meant that he successfully riled her up.

"Okay, okay!" Junpei laughed. "Better tell him that it's an open secret."

"I guess we better make it formal. Hmm..." Minako got that glint in her eye. It only came up when she was plotting something. "This may be fun."

"Don't go over the top. We have budget concerns at the dorm."

"Yeah right. But it wouldn't be good for the neighbors to find a teenager with loads of yen." She chuckled. "Thanks for this. You really are the best friend a girl can have."

"Keep singing praises. I might blush." The two settled into happy laughter. Junpei may not be the one for her but maybe Ken could be. Who knows? Things are looking brighter. And with a stomach full of ramen, the duo set off for the dorms.


End file.
